Benefits of Yoga

One of the most debilitating injuries a caregiver can face is a back injury. You are already under great stress in taking good care of your loved one, and it often involves lifting, turning, moving, or supporting them in transit (not to mention lifting equipment such as a wheelchair, walker, etc.) in and out of vehicles or transfers from bed to chair or shower. In light of this, it makes perfect sense to strengthen your back as much as possible and protect it against injury. Yoga is one of the most useful practices for this particular need. And it has excellent side benefits of relaxation, stress relief, and promoting a sense of wellbeing.

Many of the stretches and postures used in yoga can help to keep the back supple and strong. There are many excellent videos available if you just don't have time to spare for a class, or can't get coverage to be away for that time. (There really is no substitute for a good yoga teacher and class, but a video is certainly better than not protecting your back at all!!)

The video that I found most useful is one by Rodney Yee, entitled: Yoga for Back Care. It is available on DVD from Gaiam.com at the following link: Yoga for Back Care

There is also excellent advice and some simple yoga postures on the Gaiam website blog, which you can access here for free.

It is crucial to find a method of stress relief and body care that feels good, is right for you, and works -- so that you will be encouraged to keep doing it. For me, that is yoga. Try one of these, or some other yoga video or class, if that's more appealing. Just do something proactive today for your own health, wellness and stress relief.

This ancient art developed from roots of Taoism and Confusionism and is practiced as a defense training, a performance art, and for its excellent health benefits. In the United States, it is now being widely taught specifically for the health benefits of improving strength, flexibility, balance, circulation, coordination, and also for its meditative qualities. According to Wikipedia, modern "T'ai chi ch'uan classes with purely a health emphasis have become popular in hospitals, clinics, and community and senior centers in the last twenty years or so, as baby boomers age and the art's reputation as a low-stress training for seniors became better known."

Though there are good instructional videos available for the art of Tai Chi, from personal experience, I would recommend finding a good teacher through contacting local health & fitness centers, senior/community centers, and asking for recommendations. It is much better to learn the movements in a group setting, in my opinion, since a good instructor will be able to give you feedback and personal guidance, and there are also social benefits to practicing it with others.

​The Mayo Clinic recently published an excellent, informative article about the many benefits of Tai Chi, especially as a stress reduction technique. You can find it by clicking here -Tai Chi: a gentle way to fight stress

And, for a visual of the lovely, flowing "meditation in motion" that is Tai Chi, click here for the Mayo Clinic video: Tai Chi Video